Don't worry though, even if they die, they'll go to elephant heaven, remember animals are just like those Disney movies your reality is based upon.
Posted on 06/08/2008 4:25:28 AM PDT by markomalley
Wind, rain and bitter cold could not keep five determined women from sending their message to Woodland Park Zoo: An elephant never forgets.
The women, representing three animal activist organizations, went to the zoo Friday morning to remember Hansa, the zoo's baby elephant, who died one year ago, and to protest the zoo's decision to once again impregnate Hansa's mother, Chai.
The activists claim that because Hansa died of herpes, Chai might also carry the disease and could pass it on if she had another child.
"If she has another baby and it dies, she won't recover," said Nancy Farnam, the campaign coordinator for the Northwest Animal Rights Network. "She'll never forget this. Setting her up to lose another child is unconscionable."
Holding bushels of pink and red carnations and a bright pink sign that read, "Hansa's Dead, Never Again," Farnam and the other volunteers waited at the zoo entrance for patrons to pass by.
"I heard there will be three different school groups here today," said Alyne Fortgang, another protester and the co-founder of Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants.
When a group of high school students from the International School in Bellevue arrived, Fortgang leapt into action. She approached the group and offered each student a pamphlet and a carnation with an attached slip of paper that read, "In loving memory of Hansa."
"We want the public to know that the zoo is at high risk for herpes, and that they should demand that breeding be stopped," Fortgang said. "No more babies should die the way Hansa did."
Bruce Bohmke, the deputy director of the zoo, disagreed.
"They are not aware of the facts, or not using the facts accurately," he said. "About a month and a half ago, we met with these women and told them all about herpes, and that you can't pass herpes through artificial insemination, but that's not what they're saying today."
Bohmke said that contrary to the activists' claims, another baby from Chai would not be more likely to get sick. He also disputed Farnam's assertion that Chai is still grieving Hansa's death and will be inconsolable if another child dies.
"She's fine," he said. "After a couple of days, from what I've read, they move on."
Instead, Bohmke said that depriving Chai of another pregnancy is cruel.
"We care deeply for these elephants from the day they come here to the day they die," he said. "Any inference that we don't care offends us."
She's right about that, Hansa can only die once.
Thanks for the laugh, and getting these idiots into perspective.
Coincidentally, I'm re-reading and old book of my Father's, titled "Hunter."
By J.A. Hunter, it's about his life as a professional white hunter in Africa, in the early to mid 20th century.
He killed hundreds or thousands of elephant in his duties- some for trophies, but most because they were killing natives and wrecking cropland.
WTF ??!!??
Herpes?
Child??
Maybe they’ll go away if we tell them that the elephant gets government food assistance and lives in subsidized housing. :)
I’ll betcha a nickel they’re “pro-choice.”
Sucker bet.
With any good luck at all, the high school kids will think about the potential impact of contracting herpes themselves, and the impact that could have on their children. Not all good results follow in a straight line from the action that causes the result.
“If she has another baby and it dies, she won’t recover.”
vs
“It is just a blob of tissue. Abortions are no big deal.”
>>>>>>”We want the public to know that the zoo is at high risk for herpes, and that they should demand that breeding be stopped,”
Wait a second here. How does an Elephant get Herpes?
Where was Bill Clinton.
It’s only a child if it’s not human. Haven’t you figured that out yet? Human’s have a “Choice” to have a “Procedure.”
Now, can somebody tell me how the hell an elephant got herpes???!!!
Give these nutjobs herpes so they can really complain about something.
Elephants get herpes?
I guess that explains my exhusband’s mistress.
(Sorry-couldn’t resist)
I’m treading carefully here, it sounds like they think the baby elephant was a baby human.
She was sleeping around
ROTFL
Don't worry though, even if they die, they'll go to elephant heaven, remember animals are just like those Disney movies your reality is based upon.
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